When we first saw the property we would come to call “The Redemption House,” it was uninhabitable. Built in 1916, it had been added onto more than once, yet the latest work seemed to have been in the 1970s. While it was in a coveted historical area in Denton, it had been vacant for quite a while and was badly overgrown and neglected.

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Before:

An HVAC system had never been installed in the house. Its previous owner had lived in the Texas heat with just a couple of window units. We could see daylight through holes in the walls and dirt below the pier-and-beam foundation through holes in the floors.

The back section of the house was falling into the backyard, away from the rest of the house. The rest of the foundation wasn’t much better.

The property was listed as having two bathrooms. However, the guest bath had an incredibly awkward layout and was decades out of date, and the master bath was a toilet in a closet with a pedestal sink in the master bedroom.

No wall enclosed the master bedroom, so it was open to the hall, kitchen and laundry room.

The kitchen boasted “new” checked vinyl flooring (circa 1970) that had been laid over layer upon layer of rotten subfloor, and the kitchen cabinetry was dated, in bad repair, and inefficiently arranged.

Despite all the drawbacks in the house, there were some amazing materials that just needed refurbishment. There was 100-year-old shiplap on all the ceilings and under the paneling on the walls, and the entire front half of the house still had the original 4” wood flooring.

It was a monster of a project and many (MANY) buyers had visited and walked away, but our clients could see the potential in the mess and were determined to take this unlivable space and make it a home. They wanted to redeem this house that had so much history and give it a future, which inspired the name “The Redemption House.”

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The Process

After the necessary structural and functional repairs (foundation, HVAC installation, siding/porch, plumbing and electrical), one of our priorities in The Redemption House was to maximize the available space and make the house feel more open. We ripped out the entire kitchen, took out the wall between the dining room and kitchen, widened the opening between the kitchen and the back hall, and added two wrapped beams. We also removed the dated paneling from the walls to reveal the original shiplap, and finished the walls throughout the house with a combination of refurbished shiplap and drywall.

Before:

During:

Another priority was reconfiguring the space between the master bedroom and guest bedroom to create a master bath and closet. We took space from the guest bedroom closet to give the master closet some depth, and closed off the master bath and closet from the bedroom.

We had some fun surprises waiting for us underneath the house. Old car parts and construction materials, a tanning bed, old doors, and a live boa constrictor were among the goodies our foundation workers found.

In the kitchen, we fabricated and installed new fully custom cabinetry with a large pass-through bar where the wall to the dining room had been. We used Ceasarstone Quartz for the kitchen counters, white subway tile for the backsplash, and a classic white hexagon tile for the kitchen and laundry room floor.

There were plenty of opportunities for unique touches in The Redemption House. We added double sliding barn doors on the master bathroom and closet and converted an original door from the house into a barn door for the pantry. Our clients’ friends signed the chalkboard sections of the door with blessings for the home.

Refinishing the original wood flooring and painting the shiplap was the icing on the cake. We also installed LED recessed lighting and accent fixtures throughout the house to give the space a nice bright feel, no matter the time of day. Our clients loved the huge screened-in porch, so we repaired the damaged trim, replaced the screens, adding ceiling fans and refinished the porch wood flooring to revive the outdoor living space for them.

The final result was not just a livable house, but a beautiful home we hope our clients love more and more with each passing year!

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 After:

 (If you are viewing on a mobile device, please check out the mobile-friendly project galleries  |  Kitchen  |  Master Bath  |  Interior)

 

After pictures by Darby Kate Photography

EXTERIOR:

Exterior Siding – Behr Graphic Charcoal

Exterior Trim – Behr Silver Polish

KITCHEN:

Kitchen Backsplash – Arizona Tile H-Line Cotton Glossy 3×6

Kitchen Floors – Daltile Octagon and Dot White

Kitchen Counters – Ceasarstone Quartz in Frosty Carina

Kitchen Cabinets (Upper) – Sherwin Williams Bright White

Kitchen Cabinets (Base) – Sherwin Williams Green Black

Black Walnut Serving Board – Pastrana Studio

MASTER BATH:

Floor Tile – Arizona Tile Luxe Hex Black 1×1

Wall Tile – H-Line Cotton Glossy 3×6

Toiletry Products – LM Organics

Turkish Towel – Odd Bird Co.

INTERIORS:

Walls and Trim – Sherwin Williams Extra White

Hardwood Floor Stain – Antique Brown

 

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